Adjustable means for changing the contour of seat back rests



R. E. LINGENFELTER ADJUSTABLE MEANS FOR CHANGING THE CONTOUR May 1, 1951 OF SEAT BACK RESTS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July l, 1949 IN1/EN TOR.

May l, 1951 R. E. LINGENFELTER ADJUSTABLE MEANS FOR CHANGING THE CONTOUR 0F SEAT BACK RESTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July l, 1949 Patented May l, 1951 ADJUSTABLE MEANS FOR CHANGING THE CONTOUR OF SEAT BACK RESTS Robert E. Lingenfelter, Hereford, Tex.

Application July 1, 1949, Serial No. 102,689

'1 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an adjustable seat, and more particularly to an adjustable back for automobile seats and the like.

It is an object of this invention to provide an adjustable seat back of the kind to be more particularly described hereinafter having vertical and horizontal adjustments to properly suit the particular requirements of any individual using the seat.

Another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable seat back for upholstered seats having provision for adjusting and varying the contour of the seat back for properly support-g ing the back of a person, the back of the` seat, being adjustable to particularly suit the contourv of the spinal column` of the person using the chair, and the adjusting means being retractable Within the seat back for disengagement therefrom when andas desired. l

Still another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable seat back of this kind which is particularly adapted for use on the backs of seats of automobiles and general upholstered ar ticles of furniture having a substantially vertical ly-extending upholstered seat back or portion.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of an upholstered Achair having an adjustable seat back constructed ac-v cording to an embodiment of this invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; 1. Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing the locking means for the adjusting handles of the chair;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2, showing the structure of the resilient telescopic connecting link of the horizontal adjusting means for the back member. Y

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I0 designates generally an upholstered chair having an adjustableback constructed according tofanembodiment of this invention. While in the drawings,r the chair I ll is represented as an upholstered article of furniture. it is to be understood thatl other articles of furniture, as the seats in autoimobilesvbuses, trains and the like, may be formed with an adjustable back portion formed accordl0 side of the back section I2 and the top side of' ing to an embodiment of this invention.

The chair I0 shown in the drawings is formed with a seat portion I I and a back portion I2 xedly connected to the rear end of the seat portion, the back I2 and seat II being formed with 'a basic frame I4 having an outer upholstered covering I5 on the forward side thereof. The upholstery or outer covering I5, while shown in the drawings as being continuous over the front the seat section II, may be formed in two separate sections, wherein the back portion I2 is formed with a separate covering and the s eat portion I I is formed with its own separate covering.y

The chair I0 is formed with a horizontal seat frame I6 having a pair of longitudinally-extending frame members I1 and I8 on the opposite sides thereof which are xedly connected at their respective ends to the vertically-extending frame members I9 at the forward end of the seat portion II and to the vertically-extending frameV members 20 at the rear end thereof.

'I'he rear seat frame member 20 is extended vertically upwardly to define the verticallyextending rear frame members for the back I2,`

and a pair of transversely-spaced-apart, vertically-extending front frame members ZI are connected at their lower ends to the horizontallyextending seat frame members I1 extending upwardly therefrom in forwardly-spaced tion to the rear frame members 2U.

The rear frame members 2i! and 2l define a rear frame 22 fixedly connected to the rear end"r of the seat frame I6.

A pair of vertically-spaced-apart, longitudinally-eXtending, horizontal channels or rail members 24 and 25 are fixedly supported between the vertically-extending frame members 20 and 2| of the back frame 22 on the opposite sides thereof. The channels or rails 24 and 25 denne the horizontally-extending guide means for the adjustable member to be more particularly described hereinafter.

A horizontally-adjustable carriage 26 is slidably engaged on the vguide means 24 and ,25 for horizontal adjustment and includes a pair of vertically-'extending side arms 21 and 28. The vertically-extending carriage members 21 and 28 are horizontally spaced apart and connected together by longitudinally-extending connecting members '29 at the'upp'er and lower ends thereof. Rollers 30 are rotatably carried by the extreme outeriends of the side Vcarriage members 28 and vrelarotatably carried on the lower end'of each' side of the back member, as clearly shown iniigures 1' and 2 of the drawings.

The horizontally-slidable carriage 26- consti' tutes a vertical guide means for the backfmember 3|, the rollers 34 and 35 slidably or rotaty v ably engaging the guide rails 21 and 26=to provide for the vertical adjustment of the cushion or: back memberA 3| in its' selected? horizontal position, as` denedby thehorizontalpositionof' the guide means or. carriage 26 in the# longitudinally-extending guide -means er rails 2d and 25.

A' transverse shaft 36 is rotatably supportedbetween the forward-endsl of the upper seat frame members I1; extending transversely of the seat He, asclearlynoted inwFigure 2l of the-drawings. A; depending-v crankarmA 31..v isv xedly connected to oneend-of. the shaftl 36.- extending 'downwardly therefromin the-normal positionvof the shaft 35 and-adjustment of the' back member` 3|; Aflbell crank 38- isrockably supported on the rear end oftheframe member ifi and includes aiverticallyextending lever arm 33 and a horizontally.- extendinglever armi): TheV lowerend ofthe verticallyrea-tending.-lever arm 39 is connected, to the; dependinglever arm 31y by a horizontally.- extending.l connecting link 4|. A vertically'-v extending` connecting link 42'; is pivctedi at itslower end to the rear end ofthe'horizontal lever arm 46 and, at its upper end to a: pivot pin. 44 flxedly carried: by the back member 3| intermediate the vertical height thereof. The lever 31. and the bell'V crank 38, connected to the back member 3| by thelinks 4|Y and 42, clene the adjusting means for. adjusting the back member 37|. vertically in the vertical guide'- member 26 dened above.

A second transverse shaft 45,- is rotatablysup-V ported on the longitudinal frame members |1- rearwardly of the transverse shaft.` 36 and an upstanding lever arm 46- is fixed on the shaft v4.5

atene end thereof'. A bell crank or lever 41 `isv pivotally connected intermediate the length thereof on a supporting pivot ibracketk i8V which is xedly supported on the vertically-extending frame'member 26. The bell crank or lever 41 includes a depending lever arm 49 and an upstanding lever arm 56- above the pivot pin 5| rotatably carried bythe bracket 48. A connecting-link 52 is pivoted at one end on the upper end of the lever arm 46 and at its rearrend on the lower end of the lever arm 49.

An expansible telescopic link 54 is pivotally connected between the upper end. of the lever arm 56 andthe rear side of the backmember 3|. The telescopic member 54 is formed with a tubular link section 55 pivotallyk mounted at one endona supporting bracket 56 and an inner bar or rod 51 which` is telescopically slidable inthe sleeve. 55 and spring-pressedoutwardly therefrom by az resilient coil' spring 58 engaging. withinthe vsleevey 5 5andpressing1 the. member 51 outwardlyk 4 or rearwardly through the open end of the link member 55. The bracket 56 is xedly secured to the rear side of the back member 3| by suitable bolts 59 or other suitable fastening devices, and the rear end of the shaft or link section 51is pivotally connected to the upper end of the lever arm 5U by a suitable pivot pin 66. The expansible telescopic link 54 is provided for limited telescopic movement of the-link sections 55 and 51, and upon rocking of the lever 45 the back section 3| may be adjusted along the length of the longitudinally-extending guide members 24 and 25./ Any undue force or load in excess of the tension of the spring 58 will effect the resilient rearward movement of the back section 3| against the tension of the spring.

:A pair-0f handles 6| and 62 are slidably connected to the outer ends of the shafts 36 and 45 and provide for the manual rocking movement of the shafts and the adjustment of the back memberlf. Each of the handle members 6| and 6-2 isformed with ari-elongated front hand-gripping section 64 formed with a transverse bore- 65 at one end thereof. A rectangular recess 66 is formed at one endV of the bore 65, and the outer end of the shaft 36 is slidably connected tc the handle section 64 in the recess 66.

A rectangular end element 6-1 isV fixed on the outer end of the shaft 36 and is slidably en gageable in the recess, 66' and provides a driving connection between the handle section 64 and the shaft'36. A boss 68A is fixed to or formed integrally with oneY side of the handle section- 64 in alignment" with the bore 65 and the shaft 36 is rotatably engaged through the boss 68,` asclearly shown in Figure 5l cf the drawings. AA resilient coil spring 69 isv engaged about the outeri end of the shaft 36 between the'inner surface of the boss E56l and the inner surface of the endl a corresponding interengaging;c lutch element 1|.

formedV with a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced-apartiteeth for engagement with the teeth of the clutch'element 10 for locking the handleV 6| in shaft 36 against rctationin a selected adjusted positionof the back member 3| Inthe use and operation of the adjustableseat` back formedaccording to an embodiment of this invention, rocking, of` the handle, 6| will provide forthe vertical sliding movement of the back member 3| in thecarriage or guide-member 26, thereby providing the vertical adjustment of the backmember. The longitudinalor horizontaladjustment. of the` back memberr 3|- is accomplished` by rocking the handle 62. forwardly or rearwardly at which time the carriage or verticalguidefmember 26- is adjustably movedalong the longitudinal guide members 24 and 25.

longitudinally of the seat back frame, whereby the contour of the cover I5 may be adjusted to.

suit they contour of thespinalcolumrr of a: person using the seat. If" it is-desired'that the adrusting-l member 3| be not used,` the adjusting membermay be fully retracted withinV the seat` frame Itr and; the front portion of the back coverl |51` willbe disposed in a substantially conventional manner.l

:I do not: meanrtcx corinnemyselfntothe exact"4 1n this manner the back' member 3|- will be adjusted vertically and-` details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An adjustable seat back for an upholstered seat having a covered seat frame and a covered back frame, comprising a horizontal guide means carried by said back frame, vertical guidemeans slidably engaging said horizontal guide means, a covering-engaging member slidable on said vertical guide means and engageable with the back frame cover for varying the contour thereof, and manually-operated means carried by said seat and back frames for vertically and horizontally adjusting said covering-engaging member.

2. In a chair having a back, horizontal guide means carried by said back, vertical guide means slidable on said horizontal guide means, a back member slidably carried by said vertical guide means, a pair of handles pivoted on said chair, connecting means between one of said handles and said back member for adjustably sliding said back member vertically, and connecting means between the other of said handles and said back member for adjustably sliding said back member horizontally.

3. In a chair having a back, horizontal guide rmeans carried by said back, vertical guide means slidable on said horizontal guide means, a back member slidably carried by said vertical guide means, a pair of handles pivoted on said chair, connecting means between one of said handles and said back member for adjustably sliding said back member vertically, and connecting means including a resilient connecting link between the other of said handles and said back member for adjustably sliding said back member horizontally.

4. In a chair having a back, horizontal guide means carried by said back, vertical guide means slidable on said horizontal guide means, a back member slidably carried by said vertical guide means, a pair of handles pivoted on said chair, connecting means between one of said handles and said back member for adjustably sliding said back member vertically, connecting means including a resilient connecting link between the 6 other of said handles and said back member for adjustably sliding said back member horizontally, and releasable interengaging locking means carried by each of said handles and said chair for releasably securing said handles and said back member in selected adjusted positions.

5. In a chair having a back frame, an adjustable back member slidably supported in said frame for vertical and horizontal sliding movement, adjusting means carried by said chair engaging said back member for sliding said member horizontally, and adjusting means carried by said chair and engaging said member for sliding said member vertically.

6. In a chair having a back frame with a ilexible cover, an adjustable back member engaging said cover and slidably sup-ported in said frame for vertical and horizontal sliding movement, adjusting means carried by said chair and engaging said back member for sliding said meinber horizontally, and adjusting means carried by said chair and engaging said member for sliding said member vertically.

7. In a chair having a back frame With a exible cover, an adjustable back member engaging said cover and slidably supported in said frame for` vertical and horizontal sliding movement, adjusting means including a resilient telescopic link carried by said chair and engaging said back member for sliding said member horizontally, and adjusting means carried by said chair and engaging said member for sliding said member vertically.

ROBERT E. LINGENFELTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile of this patent:

I UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

